Many silver halide photographic elements, in particular color negative films, contain so-called DIR (development inhibitor releasing) couplers. In addition to forming imaging dye, DIR couplers release inhibitors that can restrain silver development in the layer in which release occurs as well as in other layers of a multilayer photographic material. DIR couplers can help control gamma (contrast), enhance sharpness (acutance), reduce granularity and provide color correction via interlayer interimage effects. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,933,500 and Re. 29,379 broadly disclose DIR couplers with azole-type coupling off groups. Japanese Patent Application JP04/278942 discloses couplers that release purine coupling-off groups.